Page 10 of The Prices We Pay (Vittori Enterprises #1)

Josephine

I f I don’t leave in the next five minutes, I’m never going to make it to work on time—being late on my second day would not be a good look—but I can’t get myself to move.

The envelope with a handwritten return address I know all too well sits on my kitchen counter, unopened, taunting me, as if the paper it was written on knew how much I didn’t want it to find me.

But it did. It found me.

How does he always find me?

I haven’t received a letter since I bought this apartment almost a year and a half ago, six months after I moved to the city. I thought I had finally outrun him.

But he found me.

Again.

Picking up the letter, I flip it over and press one of my black nails under a lifted corner, convincing myself that this time I will be able to face it…

I’ll see what he wants—why he won’t just leave me alone—and be done with it.

But as a piece of the envelope tears away, my heart stops beating in my chest. The walls of my spacious apartment suddenly feel like they are closing in on me, and the envelope falls out of my shaky hold.

When the paper hits the ground, it feels as if a bomb went off. And yet, it hardly makes a sound.

“Yeah, fuck this.”

Furiously, I pick up the letter and storm into my room, heading straight for my closet.

I grab the small suede ottoman that I keep in there and slide it into the corner.

Standing on it, I reach on top of the tall shelving unit and grab the shoebox I keep tucked away.

Without even bringing the box down, I open the lid and throw the unopened letter in with the rest. The moment it’s out of my sight, I immediately feel like I can breathe again.

I grab my phone, bag, and keys off the counter and lock up before leaving for work. While in the elevator, I send a quick text to Jasper, knowing he’s probably awake and working on the ranch by now.

Me

Got another letter.

I pass a few floors before my phone dings in my hand.

Jasper

How did he find your address?

Me

I have no idea.

Jasper

Did you open it?

Me

Do you ever open yours?

Jasper

Touché. Do you want me to handle it?

I don’t know what I would do without him.

Even when we are states apart, I can count on him to protect me in any way that he can.

But I also know Jasper’s anger simmers just below the surface, like a kettle always ready to boil over.

The last thing I need is for him to get sent to jail.

Not when he’s making the life for himself that I always hoped he would have.

Me

It’s all right, Jas. I shoved it in the box with the rest of them. Out of sight, out of mind.

Me

Avoidance is my specialty.

Jasper

Okay. If it becomes more of a problem, you let me know, and I’ll handle it. Okay? I love you.

Me

I will. I love you too. Tell the guys I said hello.

Realizing the elevator has been sitting in the lobby for who knows how long now, I throw my phone in my bag before waiting for his reply.

It will likely be something grumpy from Lawson, a flirtatious selfie from Lincoln, or a simple and sweet hello from Beau.

As happy as I am to have my own life out of Billings, I find myself missing them constantly. Those boys are my family.

But family or not, they didn’t pressure me to stay.

They all knew how badly I wanted a new life for myself, especially Jasper.

I’m not like him. As much as a part of my heart will always belong to Montana, to the ranch, to the people who made themselves Jasper’s and my family when our own was falling apart, it wasn’t enough to cancel out all the hurt—all the heartbreak.

I’m not entirely sure it is for Jasper, either.

I knew there was somewhere else that was calling to me.

And I truly feel like I found it here. I’ve felt at peace among the chaos of New York.

At least, I did until that letter showed up in my mailbox this morning .

Thoughts of my past flood my mind on my way to Vittori Enterprises. No matter how many good memories of my past I try to conjure up, the bad ones are right behind. Always casting an ominous cloud over everything good in my life.

It’s not until I walk into my office and see my new laptop sitting on my desk that my racing mind changes gears.

Walking over to it, I find a yellow sticky note stuck to the front of it.

Let Clara know when you’re ready for me. I’m just down in Luca’s office.

-Seb

I pull my glasses out of my bag and set them on top of my head before walking toward my door and peeking my head out.

Down the hallway, I see Clara animatedly talking to someone on the phone.

She must see me out of the corner of her eye because she shoots me a beaming smile and rushes whatever sorry sap it is off the phone.

“Hey, sweetie! I didn’t even see you come in! ”

“Morning. It’s all right. You looked pretty busy anyway.”

She rolls her eyes at her phone as if it were an actual person, and I can’t help but laugh. “Nothing I can’t handle.” I didn’t doubt that for a second. “You ready for Sebastian? He mentioned that he’d be getting your new computer set up today.”

“Yeah, I’m ready for him.”

She stands from her desk before clapping her hands together. “Oh! Did you see your new coffee bar?”

I peek my head back into my office and look to the other side of the room.

Sure enough, there’s a full coffee bar, complete with everything I would need to make the perfect latte and some snacks.

As promised, she had the alcohol removed yesterday while I was in my meeting with Elizabeth, for which I was entirely grateful.

Looking back at her, I smile softly. “Thank you, Clara. You really are the best.”

“Remind Mr. Vittori of that, will you? ”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I will.”

“You go get settled, sweetie. I’ll send Sebastian down to you in just a minute.”

Before I can thank her for what must have been the hundredth time since I’ve met her, she spins and saunters into Luca’s office, her wide hips swaying with sass as she goes.

I fucking love her.

Before the door has a chance to close, I spot Luca sitting at his desk.

His dark eyes lock with mine. My skin heats under his gaze, just as it did last night when he found me still working on the floor of my office.

I don’t know what the three of them were up to, but I didn’t buy their paintballing story for a second.

But it also wasn’t my place to ask. If they wanted me to know, they would have told me. And honestly… the less I probably know about their personal lives, the better.

Neither of us looks away from one another. Our stare-down only breaks when the door to his office closes .

Not even three minutes later, just as I’ve gotten comfortable at my desk, the closest thing I’ve seen to a real-life Ken doll knocks on the open office door. Sebastian’s bright smile quite literally feels like it brightens up the room.

“Morning. You ready for me?”

I’m honestly not sure.

“Yup! Want a cup of coffee or anything?” I point to the coffee bar across the room.

“I already had one, but I can make you something while you set up a username and password. Like anything particular?”

“You know how to make a latte?”

He shoots me a bemused look. “Joe, if there’s one thing you should know about me, I’m good at just about anything.”

His wink practically gives me heart palpitations, but I cover it up with a laugh. “Cocky much?”

“Not cocky. Just… competent.” He makes his way toward the coffee bar while I try, and fail, not to stare at his ass in the black slacks he’s wearing. When he turns to look at me, I quickly avert my eyes and open my laptop. “Any particular flavor? ”

I look back over at him, willing the blush to dissipate from my cheeks. “Vanilla would be amazing. Clara put some oat milk in the fridge.”

The last thing I need is to be sitting next to a man who looks like that while my stomach tries to digest dairy.

It took me the entire five minutes he spent making my latte to set up a simple username and password. I couldn’t focus for more than ten seconds at a time, my eyes continuously straying to the way the muscles on his back flexed beneath his shirt as he worked.

I just know that what’s underneath those clothes is absolutely delicious.

Placing the mug down on the coffee table in front of the white sofa with a smile.

Sitting on one of the plush cushions, he gently pats the one next to him.

I eye him suspiciously. He chuckles lightly and nods toward the desk chair I’m currently sitting in.

“Unless you wanted to sit on my lap at your desk.”

Yeah, I think I’d like that a lot.

Ignoring the sudden pressure between my legs, I gather my laptop and sit beside him on the sofa. Kicking one heel off, I tuck my foot under my opposite leg. His thigh presses against mine as he reaches forward to grab my latte off the table. “Swap you?”

As I take the delicious-smelling drink from his hand, he grabs the laptop from my lap.

Goosebumps skate across my skin when his fingers dust the tops of my thighs.

Trying to focus on anything else other than the way one simple graze made me feel, I take a sip of my vanilla latte.

A satisfied moan spills from my lips as it hits my tongue, and I watch as Sebastian’s eyes snap to mine, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows harshly.

“Sorry.” I laugh, licking the foam from my top lip. His eyes trail the movement of my tongue. “That’s delicious.”

He clears his throat. “Told you. Competent.”

Sebastian refocuses back on my laptop, and I notice a slight feeling of disappointment that his eyes are no longer on me.

“You pick a username and password?” he asks.

“Yes. Username is Josephine0918.” His fingers move across the keyboard as he types in my name and the date of my birthday. “And the password is my brother’s name and birthday. Jasp—”

“Jasper0112,” he answers matter-of-factly, and my lips part in surprise. “Do I need any symbols?”

“Umm… yeah…” I draw out. “An exclamation mark at the end. Wait. How in the hell did you know that?”

He flashes me another smile, one that rivals Prince Charming himself. “Came in early this morning and did some research .” His emphasis on the word lets me know he found everything he needed to.

Shit.

“Josephine Elizabeth Jenkins. 26 years old. Born in Billings, Montana. Daughter of John and Sarah Jenkins. Mother deceased. Father’s sentenced to life in prison.

” The mention of my parents causes my breath to still in my lungs, and even though I know he knows, I’m really hoping he doesn’t elaborate further on my parents.

“One sibling, Jasper Wesley Jenkins. 24 years old. Professional bull rider. You attended one year at Palm University, where you eventually dropped out and got a job in Miami with Aldrich Real Estate. Quit after you got your customs brokerage license. After some research into Mr. Aldrich, I’m assuming you aren’t missing out on much anyway.

Built up your portfolio in Florida until you moved up here, where you’ve lived for the last two years.

No outstanding criminal charges against you or your brother.

Doing well financially. No shady business with anyone nefarious.

Missing small details here and there, but that about sums it up. ”

I blink a few times, my mouth dry from it gaping open the entire time he was speaking.

“That only took me about ten minutes.” He shrugs as he grins proudly.

“Ten minutes?” I ask incredulously.

“Competent, Josephine. I’m more than just a pretty face.”

“Are you going to tell them about—”

“No. There’s a reason your and Jasper’s names were redacted from the case file. You were just children. You had nothing to do with it. Unless it becomes a problem, nobody else needs to know. ”

“It won’t,” my answer is rushed. I don’t want to have to talk about this. I just want it behind me. It would sure be a hell of a lot easier if those letters didn’t keep showing up at my door, but Sebastian doesn’t need to know that. “It won’t be a problem.”

Sebastian reaches over and gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze. My eyes lock onto the sight of his tattooed hand resting on the soft ivory cashmere of my slacks. “I know, Joe.”

Our eyes lock for a moment, our stares suspended in time.

I watch as his eyes widen slightly, as if he’s realizing something for the first time.

But before I can ask what it is, he releases his hold on my leg and claps his hands together.

“All right. Ready to pretend to be interested while I show you how to work these programs?”

I chuckle as I settle back in my spot, vanilla latte in hand. “So ready.”